17-year-old Bob Feller makes his first major league start (2024)

Most 17-year-olds start their senior year of high school at the end of August. But Bob Feller had a date with Major League Baseball.

On Aug. 23, 1936, while his friends back home in Van Meter, Iowa, were headed back to school, Feller took the mound against the St. Louis Browns. At just 17-years-old, it was Feller’s seventh MLB appearance and his first start of his illustrious 18-year career with the Cleveland Indians.

Feller didn’t just start the game; he dominated the game, fanning 15 Browns on his way to a 4-1 victory over St. Louis. The “Heater from Van Meter,” as he came to be known, was just starting to earn his keep.

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“He was perfect,” Indians manager Steve O’Neil said after the game.

But before Feller took the mound that day, his manager was worried. O’Neil was urged to start Feller, against his judgment, by Indians general manager Cy Slapnicka.

Prior to Feller’s first pitch in the first inning, O’Neil had reliever Denny Galehouse warming up in the bullpen, ready just in case the teenager started to struggle. O’Neil had reason to worry. In Feller’s previous six appearances, he had given up 11 hits, eight walks and seven earned runs in just eight innings of work. But this was Feller’s first time starting a game.

“He was perfect,” Indians manager Steve O’Neil said after the game.

But before Feller took the mound that day, his manager was worried. O’Neil was urged to start Feller, against his judgment, by Indians general manager Cy Slapnicka.

Prior to Feller’s first pitch in the first inning, O’Neil had reliever Denny Galehouse warming up in the bullpen, ready just in case the teenager started to struggle. O’Neil had reason to worry. In Feller’s previous six appearances, he had given up 11 hits, eight walks and seven earned runs in just eight innings of work. But this was Feller’s first time starting a game.

Feller struck out the first batter he saw. And after allowing a single to Harlond Clift, he sat down the final two batters of the inning. Galehouse sat down, too.

Through five innings, Feller had 10 strikeouts. He didn’t surrender a run to the Browns until the sixth inning when he allowed two doubles, making the score 1-0 in favor of the Browns. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Indians rallied to take the lead 3-1. The Indians won the game 4-1, giving Feller his first career victory.

"I was afraid that my arm would tire along about the sixth or seventh inning, but it held up fine,” Feller said when he was asked about his first start.

Feller did return home to finish his senior year of high school at the end of the 1936 season and rejoined the Indians in 1937.

“That showing was just a tip-off,” Dodgers pitcher Van Mungo said. “You’ve got to be a good pitcher to strikeout 15 major league batters in one game – whether you’re 17 years old or 27.”

Feller finished his Hall of Fame career with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts. Six times he won 20 or more games and led the league in strikeouts seven times during his career.

He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962. Feller passed away on Dec. 15, 2010.

Cady Lowery was a public relations intern in the Hall of Fame’s Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Youth Leadership Development

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17-year-old Bob Feller makes his first major league start (2024)

FAQs

17-year-old Bob Feller makes his first major league start? ›

When he made his major league debut on 19 July 1936 at the age of 17 – before he'd even graduated high school – he was the youngest pitcher to ever appear in a major league game. A month later, on 23 August 1936, Feller struck out 15 batters, one shy of a league record, in his first start.

Has a 17 year old played in the MLB? ›

Nuxhall, you may recall, was only 15 when he made his debut with the Reds in 1944. The contribution of teenagers to major league baseball has been somewhat limited over the years, although there have been more than 25 who made their playing debuts at 17, and about a half-dozen who broke in at 16.

What was Bob Feller famous for? ›

Feller became the first pitcher to win 24 games in a season before the age of 21. He threw no-hitters in 1940, 1946, and 1951, and 12 one-hitters, both records at his retirement. He helped the Indians win a World Series title in 1948 and an American League-record 111 wins and the pennant in 1954.

What was Bob Feller's fastest pitch ever recorded? ›

Other MLB legends are said to have thrown faster pitches than Chapman's, but with older, less reliable technology, it can be difficult to confirm the speed of a historic pitch. Thus, tales of Nolan Ryan's 108.1 mph fastball in 1974 or Bob Feller's 107.6 mph pitch in 1946 remain unofficial.

What did Bob Feller say about Jackie Robinson? ›

Most notably, he said that the significance of Jackie Robinson's breaking the color barrier has been overestimated and that his own accomplishments were more important than Robinson's in the history of the game. Feller was born on Nov. 3, 1918, on the family farm outside Van Meter, Iowa.

Who is the 17-year-old signed to MLB? ›

The past two years, they've found gems that should bolster their major league roster for years to come. This week, they added another one. The team announced Wednesday it signed an international pitching prospect, 17-year-old Humberto Cruz from Monterrey, Mexico.

How old was Bob Feller when he made his major league debut? ›

Bob Feller, age 17, pitching in his major league debut against the St. Louis Browns on 23 Aug. 1936. The Indians would win the game, 4-1.

How fast was Bob Feller's fastball? ›

This statistic states that in 1946, a measurement experiment was conducted to determine the speed of Bob Feller's fastball, and the recorded value was 107.6 miles per hour (mph).

Did Bob Feller ever pitch a perfect game? ›

At age 22 he became the first American League pitcher to throw a complete game no-hitter on Opening Day. There was no stopping Bob Feller – except Pearl Harbor.

How good was Bob Feller? ›

For his 18-year major-league career, Feller won 266 games against 162 losses. 111 At 6 feet tall and 185 pounds, he was on the short side for a right-handed pitcher by contemporary standards. Both Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio labeled him the greatest pitcher either had ever seen.

How many no-hitters did Bob Feller pitch? ›

Over his career, Feller would blank opposing hitters on three occasions – tossing three no-hitters to go along with his 12 other nearly unhittable performances.

Who had the fastest pitch in baseball history? ›

Chapman currently has the record for the fastest recorded pitch speed in MLB history, at 105.1 miles per hour (169.1 km/h), as well as the Guinness World Record for fastest baseball pitch.

Who is the only CPO to be inducted into a Hall of Fame? ›

As Navy Chief Petty Officer Robert Feller, he participated in some of the best-known sea battles in the Pacific. When the war was over, he returned to the mound and resumed a straight shot to station-the Baseball Hall of Fame. Here's his account of his military service and what it has meant to him.

What year did Bob Feller retire? ›

After retiring in 1956, Feller continued to travel extensively to promote professional baseball, and he served briefly as a TV broadcaster for the Indians. An eight-time career all-star, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.

Why did Tim Anderson say he was Jackie Robinson? ›

“I kind of feel like today's Jackie Robinson,” Anderson said in the interview, referencing his desire to break the “have-fun barrier” in baseball. “That's huge to say. But it's cool, man, because he changed the game, and I feel like I'm getting to a point to where I need to change the game.”

Has there ever been an 18-year-old in the MLB? ›

Age 18: Jasson Dominguez, Yankees

None of those 212 players were 18 years old, however. Alex Rodriguez remains MLB's last 18-year-old (he appeared in 13 games as an 18-year-old with the 1994 Mariners), and before him, you have to go back to Jose Rijo with the 1984 Yankees.

Can a 16 year old play in MLB? ›

The first 16-year-old player in major league history stepped onto the field for the first-ever game the National Association version of the Nationals played, and his stint at baseball's then-highest level ended after his ninth game on May 25. 13 Little is known about how Jacob made his way onto the team.

Did a kid ever play in the MLB? ›

On June 10, 1944, 15-year-old Joe Nuxhall becomes the youngest person ever to play Major League Baseball when he pitches in a game for the Cincinnati Reds.

What is the oldest age to play in the MLB? ›

This is a list of Baseball players. Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization in North America. The oldest person ever to play MLB was Satchel Paige, who, at the age of 59, made a major league appearance twelve years after his Major League career had ended.

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